GMR says Maldives project safe despite political storm

The GMR group has said the current crisis in Maldives will not affect its Male airport development plans. Maldives plunged into a crisis last week when its cabinet resigned en masse, reportedly over the grant of the airport project to GMR group.

The GMR group has said the current crisis in Maldives will not affect its Male airport development plans.

Maldives plunged into a crisis last week when its cabinet resigned en masse, reportedly over the grant of the airport project to GMR group.

GMR, which operates the Delhi airport, won the bid to build, operate, modernise and expand the Male International Airport (MIA).

As per reports in the local media, opposition parties have sought an injunction from a court to delay implementation of the agreement.

Spokesperson for the joint opposition committee, Imad Solih, was quoted saying, “(the agreement) contains suspicious (elements) and issues relating to corruption.” The opposition also accused the government of not consulting the Maldives Airports Company board members on the deal.

Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman (Airports), GMR, said he did not think the crisis would affect the deal in any way. “The deal is done and sealed. We don’t foresee any problems,” he said.

“It’s all been done in a very transparent manner. The international bidding process was monitored by IFC, Washington,” Grandhi added.

GMR officials, who did not wish to be named, said there appeared to be a deliberate attempt on the part of some to create problems. “The process has been on for the last 10 months. Now, suddenly they have woken up and started making all kinds of allegations,” an official said.